How to Make 6-Minute Creamy Shrimp Risotto

Yes! You can create a quick shrimp RISOTTO in an Instant Pot that turns out perfectly creamy and wonderful….in just 6 minutes! Could it really be true? In just 6 minutes?? I had to find out. One batch later, I was a believer and I’ve never looked back. Heavenly!

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Things to Love About This Risotto Recipe

It’s Super Fast and Easy (so the Fam Is Happy!)

It’s Incredibly Creamy and Rich

You Can Customize it by Substituting Chicken, Beef or Pork for the Shrimp

Reheats well as Leftovers Later

Darn Sure Makes you Adore Your Instant Pot

6-Minute Shrimp Risotto in your Instant Pot

You will be amazed at how quickly and easily this dish comes together, which is why I love my Instant Pot so very much!

During even the busiest of weeks, I know I can have a quick, delicious meal on the table for my family in just minutes.

Any recipe that requires moist heat (which is like braising in the oven), is delicious when made in the Instant Pot. If you’re family enjoys roast beef, be sure to try the Lazy-Butt Beef Subs and Big Bold Beef Carnitas.

How to Make Instant Pot 6-Minute Creamy Shrimp Risotto

Use the saute setting on the Instant Pot to cook the aromatics and Cajun seasonings with the rice; this will really get the flavors cranked up.

Add the chicken broth, then bring the Instant Pot up to pressure, cooking the risotto for just 6 minutes.

Remove the pressure from the Instant Pot, then unlock and remove the lid, stirring in the remaining ingredients.

Garnish as desired and serve while the risotto is piping hot and creamy.

Helpful Recipe Tips for Making Risotto

What is Risotto?

Risotto is an Italian rice dish made from Arborio rice. It’s creamy, rich, filling and heavenly, to say the very least.

What is Arborio Rice?

Arborio rice is an Italian short-grain rice can be used primarily to make risotto. Due to it’s high starch content, Arborio rice gets very creamy as it cooks.

Why isn’t the shrimp cooked under pressure with the other ingredients in the Instant Pot?

Seafood isn’t ideal for pressure cooking, due to how fragile and tender it is – the Instant Pot can easily obliterate it. Instead, when you remove the Instant Pot after pressurizing the contents, you will see how HOT the ingredients are at this point. When you stir in the small raw shrimp, they will cook within a matter of a minute of two.

How do I know when the shrimp are fully cooked?

Great question. Raw shrimp is gray in color on the exterior. When shrimp is fully cooked, the exterior turn pink in color and the flesh is opaque. The second the shrimp turns from gray to pink, remove it from the heat source – over cooked seafood gets chewy and tough!

If my family isn’t a fan of shrimp, can I add other types of meat to this risotto instead?

You sure can. If you’re using cubed chicken, for instance, you would add it at the very beginning stages when you are sauteing the rice with the butter; add the remaining ingredients as directed, then bring the pot to full pressure. Continue as directed.

Or, let’s say you have leftover grilled steak or pork chops, you could also cut either of these meats into bite-sized pieces to stir into the cooked risotto. Since these meats are already cooked, you would stir them in at the very end when adding the Parmesan and parsley.

What to Serve with Shrimp Risotto

Shrimp risotto is a must-try for any Instant Pot owner out there. Serve it up with some hot, buttered Peasant Bread and a glass of wine… your guests will not be disappointed. (And they’ll never imagine that it only took 6 minutes!) A nice mixed greens salad is also nice as a side dish.

What Tools are Helpful when Preparing Instant Pot Shrimp Risotto?

I use the 6-quart Instant Pot for nearly everything I cook. However, if you often cook really large hunks of meat or have a very large family (or farm crew) that you cook for, you may prefer the 8-quart Instant Pot.

Printable Directions for Making 6-Minute Creamy Shrimp Risotto

Instant Pot 6-Minute Creamy Shrimp Risotto

Yes! You can create delicious, creamy and tender RISOTTO in an Instant Pot ....in just 6 minutes! I confess, I was a doubter when I first saw an Instant Pot risotto recipe. Could it really be true? In just 6 minutes?? Yes!

Course
Main Course

Cuisine
Italian

Keyword
instant pot, shrimp

Prep Time10minutes

Cook Time6minutes

Total Time16minutes

Servings12servings

AuthorChef Alli

Ingredients

4Tbs.unsalted butter

1medium yellow onion, diced

2clovesgarlic, crushed

2cupsArborio rice

1-2tsp.Cajun seasoning blend, I use Old Bay or Tony Chachere's

2cupsthinly sliced baby bella or button mushrooms

1cupdry white wine

5-6 cupschicken or vegetable broth, divided use

14oz.can petite diced tomatoes, drained well

1lb.raw small shrimp, deveined and shelled

8oz.cream cheese, cubed and softened

1-2 Tbs. chopped Italian parsley

1cupfreshly shredded Parmesan cheese, divided use

Instructions

Using the sauté setting on your Instant Pot, melt the butter. When the butter is nicely hot, stir in the onion, garlic, Arborio rice, Cajun seasoning blend, and the mushrooms; sauté for a minute or so; deglaze the pot with the wine, then stir in the broth.

Securely lock the Instant Pot lid into place. Using the high pressure setting, set the timer for 6 minutes, bringing the Instant Pot to full pressure.

When the timer sounds, perform a quick release to remove all the pressure from the Instant Pot. Carefully unlock and remove the lid; gently stir in the diced tomatoes, shrimp, and cream cheese along with half of the Parmesan cheese and half of the parsley.

Serve the risotto at once, garnished with the remaining Parmesan cheese and Italian parsley, as desired.

Recipe Notes

**Please note: the cooking time stated for this recipe does not include the time required to bring the Instant Pot up to pressure since this can vary. This recipe was made using a 6-quart Instant Pot.

Raw shrimp is gray in color on the exterior. When shrimp is fully cooked, the exterior turns pink in color and the flesh becomes opaque. The moment the shrimp turns from gray to pink, remove it from the heat source – over cooked seafood gets chewy and tough!

If you prefer not to use shrimp in this risotto recipe, you can certainly substitute cubed chicken, adding it at the very beginning stages when you are sauteing the rice with the butter; add the remaining ingredients as directed, then bring the pot to full pressure. Continue as directed.

Or, let’s say you have leftover grilled steak or pork chops, you could also cut either of these meats into bite-sized pieces to stir into the cooked risotto. Since these meats are already fully cooked, you would stir them in at the very end when adding the Parmesan and parsley.

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Let’s Get You Cookin’,
Chef Alli

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Chef Alli is a home-grown Kansas girl on a mission to strengthen families through enabling kitchen confidence, educating the family cook, and encouraging better food relationships. She believes with her whole heart that time spent with our loved ones and our overall quality of life is greatly enhanced by nutritious food made at home with simple, wholesome ingredients. She loves being able to connect and share this passion with others through her website, her social media presence, and her coveted speaking engagements.